San Antonio photographer Ron Cortes, a Pulitzer Prize winner with a photo career stretching over several decades, just had one of his incredible images of Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama turned into the cover for the new NBA 2K27 video game. This isn’t just any photo; it’s a snapshot of a pure, game-winning moment that’s now immortalized on one of the biggest hoops games out there.
The Shot That Made History (and the Cover!)
Imagine the scene: March 19, Frost Bank Center, Spurs against the Phoenix Suns. Wembanyama pulls up for a game-winning fadeaway with only 1.1 seconds left on the clock. Swish. That shot didn’t just win the game; it clinched the Spurs’ first playoff berth in six years! And Cortes? He was right there, just 5 feet from the action, his lens focused as Wembanyama’s teammates swarmed him in pure celebration. That raw, electric moment, the postgame mayhem, the sheer joy, that’s what’s now gracing the cover of NBA 2K27. It’s the latest installment from Visual Concepts and 2K Games, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. You can snag the Standard Edition featuring Wemby on the cover for $69.99. Cortes himself even admitted he had to look up both the real-life game and the video game when he found out. How wild is that?
The Man Behind the Lens: A Legacy of Iconic Imagery
For Ron Cortes, this isn’t his first rodeo capturing life’s monumental moments. A former Philadelphia Inquirer photographer who now works for Getty Images and contributes regularly to the Express-News, Cortes has a storied career spanning 40-plus years. He’s earned a Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism, a Pictures of the Year International award, and a World Press Photo award, among countless others. He’s shot everything from the NBA Finals, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl, to high school football on a Friday night, and even poignant scenes in Bosnia, Ethiopia, and South Africa. “To me, it’s just the privilege of being able to be there in so many people’s experiences and lives and struggles that has made my profession worthwhile,” Cortes said. Michel Fortier, regional director of visuals for the Express-News and Austin American-Statesman, sums it up perfectly, calling Cortes one of their “go-to sports photographers” for close to a decade. He knows great moments, and he knows how to be in the right spot at the right time.
This isn’t just about a video game cover; it’s a massive shout-out to a photographer whose career has been dedicated to capturing the human experience. As NBA 2K27 hits shelves, millions will be seeing Cortes’ incredible work, a testament to his legacy. What epic moment will he capture next?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply